Traditional Love

Another celebrity marriage has gone by the wayside. Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony are no more. Now that the media hubub has died down, there are certain things we might be able to learn and apply for our marriages.
You would think that after a while, there wouldn't be anything we could learn from a celebrity divorce. But its not true. I think we can always learn something, so we don't have to repeat mistakes of others! Not that I wish harm on anyone or any relationship - that isn't the case at all. Just that when bad things do happen, we can observe, learn, and try not to let things creep into our own relationships that might be problematic.

The argument against contraception is that it undermines the primary goal of marriage: to create a family. But I disagree. Contraception does what natural family planning tries to do, it just does it more effectively. Contraception gives couples choices and allows them to build a stronger relationship which will result in a stronger family, when the time is right. I have a daughter of my own now and I am amazed at the way she's changed our lives and our relationship. Seeing my husband in her and seeing my husband with her, does make me love him more than I ever have. But having a kid has also made my relationship more difficult.

To be honest, in the beginning, I wasn't sure about writing this piece. I usually don't mind giving my opinions on a range of topics, especially involving Christianity. However, this issue is far more complicated than anything I've ever been able to verbalize. But I decided to do it, to write about homosexuality just after New York's historic vote to legalize gay marriage, because I think the Christian view on the subject is widely misunderstood.

There are plenty of things from the 1970s that should remain in the 1970s: disco, the polyester leisure suit, and "open" marriage. Unlike disco, there are some people who think that open marriage, championed in the 1972 book (written by Nena and George O'Neill and titled, of course, "The Open Marriage") should come back.

When blogging, how much should you reveal, and how much should you keep between you and your spouse? Sue O'Lear wasn't sure how her husband would respond when she hit Publish on a personal post. Julia Spira, author of The Rules of Netiquette, weighs in.

But it begs the question, why are Republicans winning this awful race? If you ask a Republican, they might say that Republicans are targeted by the media. If you ask a Democrat they might say that Republicans, who are known for touting a line of "family values" are hypocrites. I know one Republican who thinks that Republican politicians are simply set up. The answer it seems, is as divisive as the politics.

In last week’s "Opinion" section of the NY Times, author, Jonathan Franzen, discusses the hidden evils of technology and facebook, an ever-popular topic of conversation among social critics. He argues that both forces are turning American society into an increasingly superficial group of people who have forgotten the difference between liking people or things, and loving them. A few days after reading this article, I watched the most recent episode of The Bachelorette, and low and behold, the first half of it brought Franzen’s ideas to life.

Recently, Eva Mendes made headlines when she put down marriage on "Chelsey Lately," calling it "archaic" and "unsexy." After reading her statements, however, I'm wondering if she even understands what marriage is really all about.

When it comes to sex, modern American society may be quick to joke about it, flaunt it, and prioritize it, but the one thing we don’t often do is stop to really consider why it exists in the first place. It’s easy to jump to the obvious conclusion of procreation and call it a day, but doesn’t that explanation seem a bit lacking in the face of all the emotions and intimacy involved? In this day in age, with birth control, condoms, and surgeries, we’ve found ways around the logical reason for having sex, and simply have sex for the sake of it. But, what does that mean? What is the point of sex?